192 clutches and power-stop control – Vortex-flow drive and clutch – Including drive-lockup clutch
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-27
2002-10-22
Lorence, Richard M. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Vortex-flow drive and clutch
Including drive-lockup clutch
C192S212000, C464S067100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467595
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a damper structure suitable for use in a power transmission mechanism of a vehicle.
b) Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG.
7
through
FIG. 11
, a description will first be made of a conventional damper structure as used by way of example in a lockup clutch for a torque converter.
FIG. 7
is a front view of a spring assembly
51
, and
FIG. 8
is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII—VIII of FIG.
7
. Springs
53
are carried on their corresponding retainer plates
57
. The retainer plates
57
are fixed on a core plate
52
by rivets
55
such that the retainer plates
57
are arranged with equal intervals. On opposite end portions of each spring
53
, caps
58
are fitted such that the spring
53
can be pressed in a well-balanced state.
Each retainer plate
57
is composed of an upper plate
61
and a lower plate
62
. The upper plate
61
is provided with a tab
61
A and bent portions
61
B. The tab
61
has been formed by slitting a part of the upper plate
61
and bending up the slit part, and holds the corresponding spring
53
at its inner periphery. The bent portions
61
B extend along opposite ends of the spring
53
, respectively, and support the spring
53
at its opposite ends. A bent portion
62
A is arranged on and along an outer periphery of the lower plate
62
, and supports and holds the spring
53
at its outer periphery.
FIG. 9
is a front view of a conventional driven plate
70
in the conventional damper structure, and
FIG. 10
is a cross-sectional view of the conventional driven plate
70
taken in an axial direction of FIG.
9
. The driven plate
70
includes a ring-shaped core plate
72
and flanges
71
formed by bending up outer peripheral edge portions of the core plate
72
. Adjacent opposite ends of each flange
71
, the core plate
72
includes relieves
73
arranged to facilitate bending operation upon formation of the driven plate
70
.
FIG. 11
illustrates the conventional damper structure
60
constructed in combination of the above-mentioned spring assembly
51
and the driven plate
70
. As a result of pressing by the flanges
71
of the driven plate
70
, said flanges
71
being counterpart members on the spring assembly
51
, and the corresponding springs
53
against each other via the associated caps
58
, power is transmitted between the side of the spring assembly
51
and the side of the driven plate
70
. Vibrations, which occur at the time of the power transmission, are absorbed by the springs
53
.
Numeral
59
indicates a friction member, which is required when the core plate
52
is arranged as a lockup piston.
In the conventional damper structure described above, the driven plate
70
is rotatable over a range of the angular interval between the adjacent springs
53
arranged in the spring assembly
51
. Accordingly, the range of relative rotation between the driven plate
70
and the spring assembly
51
is large. Especially when the damper structure is used as a damper in a lockup clutch for a torque converter, large loads are applied to the springs because the damper is affected considerably by torque fluctuations of an engine as a power source. Accordingly, there has been a high potential risk that the springs may be permanently set in fatigue or may be broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a damper structure, which can limit an input of an excessive load onto each spring and can protect the spring from permanent setting in fatigue or breakage. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lockup clutch provided with the damper structure and suitable for use in a torque converter.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a damper structure constructed of a core plate, a retainer plate fixed on the core plate, a spring assembly carried on the retainer plate and having at least one spring, and a driven plate arranged coaxially with the spring assembly and having a flange engageable with the spring, wherein the retainer plate is composed of an upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plate is provided with a lug portion formed by slitting a part of the upper plate and bending the slit part, the driven plate is provided with a stopper engageable with the lug portion. The stopper may preferably be arranged such that the stopper is brought into contact with the lug portion shortly before the spring would be fully compressed as a result of pressing by the spring and the flange against each other. Preferably, the spring assembly have a plurality of springs and the driven plate have a like plural number of flanges.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a lockup clutch suitable for use in a torque converter, wherein the lockup clutch comprises the above-described damper structure.
Owing to the above-described construction, the damper structure according to the present invention can bring about an advantageous effect that the spring or springs can be protected from permanent setting in fatigue or breakage.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4919241 (1990-04-01), Koshimo
patent: 5752884 (1998-05-01), Yabe et al.
patent: 5899311 (1999-05-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5941354 (1999-08-01), Fukushima et al.
patent: 6050376 (2000-04-01), Yabe
patent: 6079531 (2000-06-01), Ohkubo et al.
Okamura Dai
Yabe Hiroshi
Lorence Richard M.
NSK-Warner K.K.
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